Man Arrested for Killing Son with Homemade Gun; Past Crimes Revealed

A man, identified as A, has been arrested for allegedly killing his son with a homemade firearm in an apartment in Songdo, Incheon, on July 20. Reports indicate that A has a troubling history, having previously operated a video rental store where he committed sexual offenses against female customers. According to a court ruling obtained by lawmaker Joo Jin-woo from the People Power Party, A was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in 1999 for special coercive sexual assault.

In December 1998, while running a video store in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, A entered the room of a 25-year-old female customer armed with a climbing knife and handcuffs, threatening her with death if she moved or screamed. He restrained her with the handcuffs and assaulted her. Additionally, he faced charges for employing a 17-year-old as a worker and allowing three minors, including a 16-year-old, to enter the store, violating youth protection laws.

The court noted the severity of A's methods but also considered that he did not complete the act of rape and had no prior sexual offense record when determining his sentence. A appealed the sentence, claiming diminished capacity due to intoxication at the time of the crime. In June 1999, the Seoul High Court reduced his sentence to two years and six months with a four-year probation.

In the recent incident, A allegedly shot his son around 9:30 PM on July 20. After fleeing the scene, he was apprehended in downtown Seoul at approximately 12:15 AM on July 21. Authorities discovered 15 flammable materials, including bottles of thinner and detergent, along with a timer at his home in Ssangmun-dong, which was reportedly set to ignite at noon on July 21. Fortunately, the explosives did not detonate due to the swift actions of the police special forces, leading to additional charges of attempted arson.

Further investigations revealed that A intended to harm not only his son but also his daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and acquaintances, resulting in additional attempted murder charges.